


Resolve

by Ghostyreader



Category: Hollow Knight
Genre: Angst, Dream No More Ending, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-02
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 10:44:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19061044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostyreader/pseuds/Ghostyreader
Summary: There is a reason Ghost pulled out the Dream Nail when presented with the chance to do so. But what led to Ghost of Hallownest choosing to defy the reason of their creation?





	Resolve

It was silent when Ghost woke up. 

Silent and dark but for the few rays of light shining down from faint cracks in the ceiling above the webbed walls of Herrah’s bedchambers.

“So you've slain the Beast... and you head towards that fated goal.”

Ghost startled, one hand twitched toward their nail when they heard a familiar voice cut in. Whipping around to face the source they saw Hornet sitting at the base of the stone slab that the Dreamer once laid upon. “I'd not have obstructed this happening, but it caused me some pain to knowingly stand idle.”

The light was at Hornet’s back, plunging her face; or rather the mask-like visage so much like Ghost’s own, in shadow as she looked away. The darkness almost making her look like a shade- a sibling rather than the steely guardian testing them at every turn.

Ghost stared at her, pondering what her words meant. What caused her pain? She did not look injured. So intent were they in checking her for injuries they didn’t realize she had continued talking.

“We do not choose our mothers, or the circumstance into which we are born. Despite all the ills of this world, I'm thankful for the life she granted me.” She paused, grip on her needle tightening but point still not directed towards them. “It's quite a debt I owed. Only in allowing her to pass, and taking the burden of the future in her stead, can I begin to repay it.”

Ghost was lost, still stuck on Hornet being in pain. So much of their journey through Hallownest was filled with nothing but scraps of information to explain the draw they had felt, the pull that tugged at the very void of their being. They had thought that by fulfilling their purpose, the reason for which they were made that they would do what should be done. But that same purpose had somehow led to Hornet hurting, Hornet who wasn’t quite a vessel like Ghost but- as they stared at her shadow engulfed form they couldn’t see anything but their sibling. The only sibling they truly had left.

Ghost took a step towards Hornet.

“Leave me now, ghost. Allow me a moment alone before this bedchamber becomes forever a shrine.”

Ghost ignored her and took another step. 

Hornet’s hands tightens around her needle even more. 

“I told you to leave.”

Another step.

“Leave!”

Ghost hesitated, her voice was trembling and soft sounds echoed through the chamber. Hornet’s shaking shoulders only served to alarm Ghost even more as whatever wound their sister suffered took it’s toll. They quickly crossed the distance remaining between them, hands grabbing Hornet’s mask and turning it to face them. Half of her mask was thrown into sharp relief in the pale light, streaks of dark void trailing from the holes for her eyes.

Panic pierced Ghost’s shell at the sight and they immediately channeled as much of their remaining stores of soul into her mask as they could, hoping it would mend whatever break they couldn’t see.

A hand roughly shoved them off, forcing them to hit the floor. Hornet held one hand outstretched, the other running along the horns of her mask.

“What were you doing ghost? Why are you not listening you empty-“

She stopped as Ghost sprang back to their feet and raced back up to her, hands grabbing her mask and pouring more focused soul into it once more.

“Enough!” Hornet shoved them roughly again, this time standing up. “What are you trying to accomplish?! I will not fight you here, why won’t you just leave! Let me mourn my mother!”

Mother? Ghost looked back to the stone slab. And then it clicked. Hornet’s use of soul thread, the dreams of the fallen weavers praying for their princess’s safety, and Herrah’s own dream whispered words of sacrifice for her brood, for her... daughter. 

It- it wasn’t a wound like a nail upon shell. This was like when Ghost had found Quirrel’s nail on the shore of Blue Lake, like hearing Cloth’s ghost bidding them farewell, like hearing Myla’s song fall silent. They didn’t know how to mend that kind of hurt. 

Slowly they turned their back to their hurting-crying- sister and made their way to the door. The only thing they could do was give her what she wanted, even if the void within themselves screamed at them to do something to ease their sister’s pain. 

It was when they were at the door that Hornet called out. “What- what were you trying to do?”

Ghost looked back and stared, unable to voice their thoughts. Instead they gave their own mask a tap, hoping it would get the message across.

It didn’t. And when Hornet said nothing else they left.

 

Later, as Ghost sat on the bench at Dirtmouth staring at nothing while they ran their fingers over the Voidheart charm and pondering the words of the White Lady they made up their mind. 

They couldn’t contain the infection.

They weren’t empty. They were a rejected vessel, deemed unworthy by the Pale King- father- and cast aside. Even their favored sibling had failed. They cared. They cared too much. They too were tarnished.

Fingers curled around the charm.

_No mind to think._

They thought of Hornet’s tears, of their friends both living and dead.

_No will to break._

Their will and determination had seen them through the worst Hallownest had to offer.

_No voice to cry suffering._

So many times they wished they could speak. To tell Cornifer of all they had seen, to thank Mato, Sheo and even Oro for all they had done, to tell their sister that they- they cared. That they were sorry they had to break the Seal and all it entailed.

They knew what they had to do. They’d pieced together the clues, the long buried and long forgotten dreams. Ghost knew they wouldn’t be able to contain the infection, but as they hopped off the bench and jumped down the well they steeled themselves for what was to come. And as they stared into the infection filled eyes of their sibling with Hornet’s needle and thread pinning them down Ghost drove their dream nail deep. 

Ghost would protect their sister, their friends from whatever awaited them in the mind of the Hollow Knight. Even if it sent them back to the Void. 

_No cost too great_.

 


End file.
